Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Primary care
Plugged in to Public Health: Rural Health Beyond the Mainland; Transportation, Access, and Care in Hawaii
Discusses how transportation influences healthcare access in rural Hawaii. Describes how geographic isolation and transportation barriers influence access to primary and preventive care and create high demand for emergency medical services, and details policy implications related to public transit, non-emergency medical transportation, and greater access to primary care. Transcript available below audio player.
Author(s): Lauren Lavin, John Desfor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa College of Public Health
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Discusses how transportation influences healthcare access in rural Hawaii. Describes how geographic isolation and transportation barriers influence access to primary and preventive care and create high demand for emergency medical services, and details policy implications related to public transit, non-emergency medical transportation, and greater access to primary care. Transcript available below audio player.
Author(s): Lauren Lavin, John Desfor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa College of Public Health
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Provider-Level Variation in the Delivery of Primary Care Telehealth for the Rural Medicare Advantage Population
Results of a study comparing use of telehealth primary care between rural and nonrural Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries by providers' level of telehealth delivery. Based on data from claims for MA beneficiaries enrolled in Humana Inc. plans from January 2021 to June 2024.
Author(s): Debra Bozzi, Amanda Sutherland, Melanie Canterberry, Emily Boudreau, Gosia Sylwestrzak
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70127
Date: 02/2026
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Results of a study comparing use of telehealth primary care between rural and nonrural Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries by providers' level of telehealth delivery. Based on data from claims for MA beneficiaries enrolled in Humana Inc. plans from January 2021 to June 2024.
Author(s): Debra Bozzi, Amanda Sutherland, Melanie Canterberry, Emily Boudreau, Gosia Sylwestrzak
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70127
Date: 02/2026
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Kansas Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Kansas in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Kansas in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Snapshot of Rural Health in Colorado, 2026
Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Iowa Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Iowa in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Iowa in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Advancing Medicaid Primary Care Population-Based Payment Models: Four Lessons for States
Discusses the impact of Medicaid policy, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and reimbursement models on primary healthcare. Discusses population-based payment (PC PBP) and value-based payment (VBP) models, sharing examples from Colorado meant to enhance payments to rural and small primary care practices.
Author(s): Kelsey Brykman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses the impact of Medicaid policy, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and reimbursement models on primary healthcare. Discusses population-based payment (PC PBP) and value-based payment (VBP) models, sharing examples from Colorado meant to enhance payments to rural and small primary care practices.
Author(s): Kelsey Brykman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Management of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors by Rural and Urban Primary Care Practices
Results of a study comparing management of cardiovascular disease risk factors between rural and urban practices, using data from a national primary care registry from 2016-2020. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural areas.
Author(s): Lars E. Peterson, Zachary J. Morgan
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Results of a study comparing management of cardiovascular disease risk factors between rural and urban practices, using data from a national primary care registry from 2016-2020. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural areas.
Author(s): Lars E. Peterson, Zachary J. Morgan
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Supporting Rural Primary Care Practices in Delivering Care for Chronic Pain
Provides guidance on chronic pain care in rural primary care practices. Discusses best practices for delivering high-quality care in rural areas, including discussion of substance use disorder treatment and prevention, barriers to care delivery in rural practices, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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Provides guidance on chronic pain care in rural primary care practices. Discusses best practices for delivering high-quality care in rural areas, including discussion of substance use disorder treatment and prevention, barriers to care delivery in rural practices, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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Access to Health Care by Rurality and Disability Status
Report explores barriers to access to care by rurality and disability status. Highlights the compounding barriers to access for rural people with disabilities. Discusses barriers due to financial reasons, lack of transportation, and workforce shortages, among other factors.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Ingrid Jacobson, Andrew Abram, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Report explores barriers to access to care by rurality and disability status. Highlights the compounding barriers to access for rural people with disabilities. Discusses barriers due to financial reasons, lack of transportation, and workforce shortages, among other factors.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Ingrid Jacobson, Andrew Abram, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Tennessee Uninsured Adult Healthcare Safety Net: 2025 Annual Report
Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2025. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2025. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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